Kansas City Chiefs' Travis Kelce has feasted on the Oakland Raiders defense in recent years

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Kansas City Chiefs’ Travis Kelce (87) reaches for a 10-yard touchdown pass against the Oakland Raiders in the first quarter of their NFL game at the Coliseum in Oakland, Calif. on Thursday, Oct. 19, 2017. (Jose Carlos Fajardo/Bay Area News Group)

Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce (87) is tackled by Oakland Raiders safety Nate Allen (20), cornerback David Amerson (29) and cornerback TJ Carrie (38) during the first half of an NFL football game in Kansas City, Mo., Thursday, Dec. 8, 2016. (AP Photo/Ed Zurga)

Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce (87) is tackled by Oakland Raiders linebacker Malcolm Smith (53) and safety Charles Woodson (24), during the first half of an NFL football game in Kansas City, Mo., Sunday, Jan. 3, 2016. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

Oakland Raiders’ NaVorro Bowman (53) attempts to tackle Kansas City Chiefs’ Travis Kelce (87) in the third quarter of their NFL game at the Coliseum in Oakland, Calif. on Thursday, Oct. 19, 2017. Oakland defeated Kansas City 31-30. (Jose Carlos Fajardo/Bay Area News Group)

MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA – APRIL 08: NFL players Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce attend the 2019 NCAA men’s Final Four National Championship game between the Virginia Cavaliers and the Texas Tech Red Raiders at U.S. Bank Stadium on April 08, 2019 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)

Nick Nelson #23 of the Oakland Raiders reacts after recovering a fumble by Travis Kelce #87 of the Kansas City Chiefs during their NFL game at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum on December 2, 2018 in Oakland, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)

Patrick Mahomes #15 of the Kansas City Chiefs looks for Oakland Raiders players to greet at the conclusion of the Chiefs’ 35-3 victory at Arrowhead Stadium on December 30, 2018 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by David Eulitt/Getty Images)

KANSAS CITY, MO – DECEMBER 30: Demarcus Robinson #11 of the Kansas City Chiefs catches the fiftieth touchdown pass of the season for Patrick Mahomes #15 in front of Rashaan Melvin #22 of the Oakland Raiders during the third quarter of the game at Arrowhead Stadium on December 30, 2018 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by David Eulitt/Getty Images)

Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) breaks a tackle-attempt by Oakland Raiders defensive end Arden Key (99) during the first half of an NFL football game in Kansas City, Mo., Sunday, Dec. 30, 2018. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

KANSAS CITY, MO – DECEMBER 30: Patrick Mahomes #15 of the Kansas City Chiefs high fives teammate Andrew Wylie #77 to celebrate his fiftieth touchdown pass of the season during the third quarter of the game against the Oakland Raiders at Arrowhead Stadium on December 30, 2018 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Peter Aiken/Getty Images)

Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) looks for a receiver during the first half of an NFL football game against the Oakland Raiders in Kansas City, Mo., Sunday, Dec. 30, 2018. (AP Photo/Ed Zurga)

OAKLAND — The acquisitions the Raiders made in the offseason to upgrade their offensive and defensive lines and bolster their running game all paid dividends in their Week 1 win over the Denver Broncos.

Now it’s time to see if the Raiders secondary, with Lamarcus Joyner but without Johnathan Abram, can slow down the Kansas City Chiefs and what is arguably the NFL’s best passing attack, led by quarterback Patrick Mahomes, receiver Sammy Watkins and tight end Travis Kelce.

The Raiders host the Chiefs on Sunday, looking to start the season 2-0 for the second time in three years.

In Kansas City’s 40-26 Week 1 win over Jacksonville, Mahomes threw for 378 yards and three touchdowns, all to Watkins, who finished with 198 yards receiving. Kelce, a 2018 first-team All-Pro and four-time Pro Bowl selection, had 88 yards receiving on just three catches.

“I mean, they got some good skill guys,” Raiders defensive coordinator Paul Guenther said Thursday. “Obviously their quarterback is a good player. Their line is playing good. Unique style, some runs, some pass concepts to challenge your coverages and how you got to play certain plays. We’re getting ready for those.”

The Raiders have had all kinds of trouble containing tight ends in recent years, and the 6-foot-6 Kelce has been no exception.

In two games against Guenther’s defense last season, Kelce had a combined 17 receptions for 230 yards, including an eye-popping 12 receptions for 168 yards and two touchdowns in the Chiefs’ 40-33 win at the Coliseum in Week 13.

Both of Kelce’s touchdowns came inside the Raiders’ 10-yard line. as he broke free from Daryl Worley near the goal line on one score and was able to do the same against former Oakland defensive back Marcus Gilchrist on the next.

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Kelce, though, was used all over the field, particularly when Mahomes scrambled out of the pocket to extend plays. That likely will be the case again Sunday.

“Technique is the biggest key, especially going against a big guy,” said 6-foot-2 rookie cornerback Trayvon Mullen, who made his NFL debut Monday against Denver, about defending Kelce. “You’ve got to have good technique with your feet, good hands and you’ve got to play strong and be physical, because he’s a really good tight end. Arguably one of the best in the league.

“You’ve just got to rely on that technique and be physical and have the right mindset.”

At least some of the responsibility for slowing down Kelce will fall to Joyner, who signed with the Raiders in March after five seasons with the Rams. The two went against each other in an epic game at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum last season, with Kelce hauling in 10 passes for 127 yards and a touchdown in the Rams’ 54-51 victory.

But considering Kelce’s versatility, every member of the Raiders’ secondary will likely come across him at some point.

“We understand, we respect him. He’s a good player,” Guenther said of Kelce. “He had some big games against us last year so we’ve got to do a better job on him, both in the coverage and in the run game. The next guy, whoever it is, will have multiple packages for those things, so hopefully those work out for us.”

Although Abram is out for the season with a shoulder injury, cornerback Gareon Conley was a full participant in practice Thursday and is expected to play against the Chiefs.

Conley was hit on the top of his helmet by Abram’s thigh, just after Abram hit Broncos running back Royce Freeman along the sideline. Conley was put on a stretcher, with his head and neck immobilized, and carted off the field.

“We kept five safeties on the roster for a reason, because we liked all of them,” Guenther said. “Just because one guy goes out, obviously John was a good player, we’re going to miss him. The next guy, I always tell ’em, has to step up, and the standards stay the same.”